__full__ - Marco Aurelio Meditation

Perhaps the most sobering aspect of his philosophy is his frequent meditation on mortality. To Marco Aurelio, death was not a tragedy but a natural process.

When a soldier defected or a general brought bad news, Marcus trained himself to strip the event of emotional spin. He would ask: “Is this under my control?” If not, he refused to let it disturb his peace. He called this "objective representation"—seeing things for what they truly are, without added fear or desire. marco aurelio meditation

He admonished himself: "You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think." Perhaps the most sobering aspect of his philosophy